PIRATES

With Kyle Schwarber now heading back to Philadelphia on a five-year, $150 million deal, the Pirates will turn their attention to other position player targets via free agency, including Jorge Polanco and Ryan O'Hearn, two players they've remained focused on throughout the winter. 

Polanco, who is looking for a three- or four-year deal, is a middle infielder and switch hitter with power in his bat coming off a 26-home run season. O'Hearn brings a bit of pop, having hit 17 home runs a year ago, and brings some defensive versatility with experience at the corner outfield positions and first base. 

The interest is real, and both would help the Pirates take at least a step forward in terms of improving the lineup. There are obvious needs at third base and in left field, too, but it's possible that positions players aren't the only ones the Pirates target from now until the start of spring training. 

Ben Cherington said that adding arms to the bullpen is something they'd like to accomplish as well, whether it's through free agency or other avenues. They'd like to approach the possibility of adding to their leverage arms and acquire pitchers that are capable of attacking left-handed hitters. 

Of course, when adding to a bullpen, it's not necessary for every team to make a move like the Dodgers did today, signing Edwin Diaz to a three-year, $69 million deal. If you look at the Pirates' bullpen right now, some of their more notable arms were acquired without needing a trade or a free-agent contract. For example, Dennis Santana and Justin Lawrence were waiver claims and Isaac Mattson signed a minor-league deal last November. There are different ways to build a bullpen. And the Pirates seem willing to build on the group they already have. 

"As we know, bullpens come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, and it's possible that we can accomplish that without major free agent signings," Cherington said. "It's possible we can accomplish that partly with guys who are already here, partly by identifying guys maybe that just haven't fully figured it out at the major-league level or it's something to tap into still. We've had some success with that. Maybe there's some free agency involved with that. Maybe there's trades, combination. But I would say it would be a desire to add to the bullpen between now and spring training in those areas. What that looks like? Don't know yet. I'd be surprised if we don't add to the pitching group in some way."